Body of missing man found in rural Itasca County

The body of a man reported missing on Wednesday was found in the unorganized township of Deer Lake, located in Itasca County.

According to a release from the Cass County Sheriff's Office, a man was reported missing at 11:36 p.m. Wednesday at the Schoolcraft State Park on the Mississippi River in the unorganized township of Deer Lake.

Deputies learned that the 41-year-old man had been recreating with friends and had walked away from the area earlier in the evening. A  search of the campground and State Forest area were conducted throughout the rest of the evening. 

On Thursday, more searching was completed including, searching the Mississippi River. At around 2:47 p.m., the body of the man was recovered from the river, the sheriff's office said.

Authorities identified the victim as Melvin Rivera.